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Knights of Columbus

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Imagine being part of an organization that fills your heart and your mind with the joy of giving to others and the feeling that comes with making a difference. Knights are Catholic men, 18 years of age or older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life.

 

Visit the Knights of Columbus website for more information.

Parish Pastoral Council

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Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)

The Parish Pastoral Council is the coordinating and unifying structure of the parish community. It strives to be the means of attaining full participation by the whole parish in achieving the parish mission by giving all a voice in encouraging, guiding, and directing the various aspects of parish life. In addition to our pastor and associate pastor, the Pastoral Council includes a representative from each commission and three at-large members. Discernment for new members occurs in the spring.

Pastoral Council meetings are held on the second Monday of every month in Room 167. All are welcome to attend.

The PPC welcomes your thoughts, questions and concerns. Contact the PPC Executive Committee via email: pastoralcouncil@st-raphael.com.

Parish Commissions

The ministries of St. Raphael are grouped into six categories:

  • Adult Faith Formation
  • Liturgical Life
  • School
  • Religious Education (Grade 1 – 8)
  • Youth Ministry Commission (High School)
  • Service Ministry and Pastoral Care
  • Administration and Planning

 

Children’s Choirs

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Joyful Noise Choir (Kindergarten – 2nd grade)

Our youngest music makers praise God in song through learning simple rhythms and gestures to songs that help them pray. They rehearse once a weekly and sing at various liturgies throughout the year (Sept-May).

Rehearsals Wednesdays 4:30 – 5:15 pm

 Youth Choir (Grades 3 – 7)

The Youth Choir begins reading musical scores and learns simple harmonies to enhance their prayer experience at liturgy through song. They meet once a weekly and sing 1-2 times a month at various liturgies throughout the year (Sept-May).

Rehearsals Thursdays 4:00 – 5:00 pm

 

Spirit Voices (8th Grade – High School)

Spirit Voices usually minister at the weekly 12:30 Teen Mass and various events throughout the year. This group lives up to its’ name: a spirited group of singers and instrumentalists adding a heightened experience of sung prayer at worship.

Rehearsals Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Contact: Julie Frazier at (630) 615-7611 or  jfrazier@st-raphael.com

Instrumental Ministry

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DSC_1040These individuals give greater praise to the Lord in the celebration of our liturgy as they share their talents for playing musical instruments.  They add harmony and greater melody to the assembly’s sung prayer.  A basic knowledge of their own instrument is required, along with an ability to read music and a dedication to practicing on their own.  Persons from junior-high age through adult may play as available.

Instrumentalists learn their own music individually, then meet with the Music Director before the assigned liturgy.

Share your talents with your faith community and give back to God the gifts you’ve been given!!

Time Commitment: Instrumentalists play all year round, as their schedules permit.

Contact: Julie Frazier at (630) 615-7611 or jfrazier@st-raphael.com

Hesed House

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Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 4.00.37 PMHesed House, Inc. is a center for ministries that provides services to poor and homeless people.  Services include a Food Pantry, a Soup Kitchen and an emergency overnight shelter.

Hesed House Website                      Directions to Hesed House

St. Raphael has several opportunities for serving at Hesed House:

Public Action to Deliver Shelter (PADS) – an overnight emergency shelter for homeless individuals and families. On the fourth Thursday of each month, a group of St. Raphael parishioners prepare and serve dinner to the approximately 175 guests who stay at PADS.

On the same night, another group of parishioners work the night Screen Shot 2015-11-11 at 4.00.49 PMshift in the shelter, supervising the sleeping quarters. Also they prepare breakfast and make lunches for the PADS guests for the next day.

Three shifts are available: 7:00-11:00pm; 11:00pm-3:00 am; 3:00-7:00am

Time Commitment: 4 hours per month

Soup Kitchen – provides hot lunch Mondays and Fridays for poor and homeless individuals and families.

On six days in the calendar year, St. Raphael parishioners prepare and serve lunch to those individuals and families using the Soup Kitchen.

Time Commitment: 4 hours

Bread & Produce or Pizza Delivery – On assigned days, parishioners pick up food from their designated site(s); local restaurants, grocery stores and coffee shops and deliver it to Hesed House.

Time Commitment: Varies, usually 2 – 4 hours per pick-up and delivery

Contact: Barry O’Donnell at (630)-615 7613 or bodonnell@st-raphael.com

Loaves & Fishes Community Services

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This pantry began in a small closet at St. Raphael in 1984 and has now grown to become its own not-for-profit agency serving over 10,000 people (over 4,000 children and 2,500 households) per month.

St. Raphael continues its support of the pantry by having a regular drop-off collection of non- perishable food items and cleaning supplies during the week on a moveable cart in the alcove by the stairway leading to the 2nd floor. Loaves and Fishes does a pickup the third Thursday of the month.

Parishioners may also help at the pantry by packing grocery bags and assisting with food distribution, sorting food or stocking shelves, or delivering groceries to the homebound.

St. Raphael also hosts an Annual Cleaning Supply Collection for Loaves of Fishes in the narthex of the church. When it comes to the underserved and low-income families, feeding their children is their first priority. Due to the cost of laundry soap and cleaning supplies, many families forgo these products. Loaves & Fishes will always accept cleaning supplies to fill their shelves in the Pantry throughout the year. Get more bang for your buck by shopping at Ollies Bargain Outlet at 4070 Fox Valley Center Dr, Aurora.

Loaves & Fishes Community Services
1871 High Grove Lane, Naperville (630) 355-3663
www.loaves-fishes.org

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Kathy Ford at (630) 615-7613 or kford@st-raphael.com

St. Vincent de Paul Society

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st_vincent_de_paul_logoThe purpose of St.Vincent de Paul is the spiritual growth and development of its members by offering person-to-person service to the poor. St. Vincent de Paul works within the parish boundaries of St. Raphael; referring requests from outside our boundaries to the caller’s parish.

The St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. Raphael oversees the disbursement of funds (made available from the 60% portion of our 5% parish tithe, or 3% of Sunday collections excluding Easter) to individuals in need of assistance.  The needs addressed by the members of St. Vincent de Paul can include illness, disability, or job loss resulting in a loss of family income.  The aim of St. Vincent de Paul is to bring social justice and the friendship of true charity to all those in need.  This is accomplished by ongoing spiritual development, serving those who come to St. Raphael in need, and a regular meeting where the contacts of members are shared, discussed and prayed for.

Members of this ministry also host a yearly clothing and small household goods collection to benefit area St. Vincent de Paul resale shops. Others make home visits to those who require rent, utility, furniture, or clothing assistance.

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Barry O’Donnell at (630) 615-7613 or bodonnell@st-raphael.com

 

Transitional Housing

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This ministry meets the needs of homeless families who are committed to working their way out of homelessness by providing temporary, rent-free, transitional housing for a period of up to two years. Bridge Communities provides the necessary structure and legal framework to make the lease commitment, screens potential families, trains volunteer mentors to facilitate the family’s return to self-sufficiency and provides professional counseling as needed.  St. Raphael parishioners, trained in mentoring, meet with these families on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to provide support in financial matters, parenting, career development and household management.  St. Raphael currently supports two families in this program. Two trained mentors are needed for every family participating in our Transitional Housing Program.

•  If you are interested in entering the Transitional Housing program, please contact Bridge Communities, (630) 545-0610

•  If you are interested in serving as a mentor or to get more information, please contact Barry O’Donnell.

Mentor Time Commitment: Varies – approximately 1 – 3 hours per week for 2 years

Contact: Barry O’Donnell at (630) 615-7613 or bodonnell@st-raphael.com

 

 

Rainbows

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Rainbows registration 2023-2024

Rainbows for All Children offers structured, age-specific, peer support groups, facilitated by trained adults, for children who are grieving the loss of a family member as a result of death, divorce, or other traumatic separation event. Children are able to grieve, communicate with, and heal among peers.  They no longer feel alone in their grief and can gain confidence from each other in a totally confidential setting.

St. Raphael’s program is available free of charge for children in elementary and middle schools from all race, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.  We meet on Thursdays at 6:15 – 7:15 pm, beginning on September 7.  The fall session runs for nine weeks. If you or someone you know could benefit from this program, please complete the Rainbows registration form.

Questions or to request a registration form by mail or email, please contact Nisha Sotiroff at 217-649-1671 or nsantha3@gmail.com More information about the Rainbows program can be found at rainbows.org.

Contact: Kathy Ford at (630) 615-7613 or kfordl@st-raphael.com

Adult Choirs

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St. Raphael Choir
10:45 Mass
Rehearsals Thursdays 7:30 – 9:30 pm

The St. Raphael Choir ministers at the 10:45am Mass and many special liturgies and events through out the year (Sept thru Pentecost). This choir uses music of many styles and genres from the great classical composers to the music of our time and church today. All singers of varied  backgrounds and experience are welcome (high school thru adult).

Alive Choir
Bi-Monthly 5:00 pm Mass
Rehearsals Wednesdays 8:00 – 9:30 pm

Alive is our contemporary choir that ministers twice a month at the 5:00pm Saturday vigil mass (Sept thru Pentecost).  This group consists of high school age thru adults who use the parish repertoire and music of contemporary and praise genre of both Christian and Roman Catholic composers today.

Disciples of Faith Choir
Bi-Monthly 5:00 pm Mass
Rehearsals Wednesdays 7:30 – 9:00 pm

Disciples of Faith, a contemporary group of singers who minister twice a month at the 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass and rehearse twice a month on Wednesdays from 7:30-9:00pm. This group is looking for people who love to sing and want to share their faith in song.

Spirit Voices
8th Grade through High School
Rehearals Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Spirit Voices usually minister at the weekly 12:30pm Teen Mass and various events throughout the year. This group lives up to its name: a spirited group of singers and instrumentalists adding a heightened experience of sung prayer at worship.

Resurrection Choir

The Resurrection Choir is open to all those who love to sing and are available to minister in a short notice for parish funerals. A very rewarding ministry, this choir allows us to sing for many of our grieving parish family members at their time of need. Phone trees and e-mail notices are sent directly to the members with rehearsals set prior to the liturgy (usually a half hour before the funeral). This choir also ministers at the special All Soul’s parish Mass and for Triduum Morning Prayer, during Holy Week.

Hand Bell Choir

Handbell Choir is an intergenerational ensemble (high school on up) who minister periodically throughout the year at week-end liturgies and special services throughout the year. Intermediate to advance bell scores require some music reading ability. Rehearsals are weekly on Wednesday evening from 6:45-8:00pm (Sept. thru May).

 

Contact: Julie Frazier at (630) 615-7611 or jfrazier@st-raphael.com